![The 25,000 sqm building is designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. [Image: Natural History Museum]](/assets/news_articles/2024/03/1710486348_main-entrance--courtesy-of-natural-history-museum.png)
The Natural History Museum (NHM) has secured planning permission from Wokingham Borough Council to build a new facility at the Thames Valley Science Park in Shinfield. It will house new collections, research and digitisation activities.
When Mace signed a pre-construction services agreement (PCSA) for the £200m project last November, construction was expected to begin sometime this year, subject to planning.
Planning has now been secured but the expected start date has skipped to early next year.
Target completion for main construction remains some time in 2027. Fitting-out the 25,000 sqm facility will take rather longer.
By 2031, the NHM Collections, Research & Digitisation Centre will be operational, equipped with laboratories, workspace for museum scientists and purpose-built storage for 28 million specimens – around a third of the museum’s collection.
The museum authorities have yet to sign a construction contract with Mace but it remains under a PCSA.
Other members of the project team include CPC Project Services as project manager, Arcadis as cost consultants, Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios as architect and Ramboll as civil, structural, mechanical & electrical engineer.
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